Month: July 2021

EGO SUM QUI SUM

Aristotle’s Book 8 of Physics and Book 12 of Metaphysics talks of God as an Immortal, unchanging being, ultimately responsible for all wholeness and orderliness in the sensible world. This unmoved mover moves other things but is not itself moved by any prior action. God is “I am” because He transcends time and space. He dies not exist in time and never changes. He is the only one who could ever legitimately make such a claim.
In the gospel, Christ says “Come to Me”…Christ alone knows the Father; therefore Christ alone can reveal the Father. In these gracious words Christ extended to the multitude an invitation to become His disciples. The invitation to discipleship includes taking the yoke of Jesus, especially those who labour in soul and mind, which causes one to be burdened with care. This invitation would come with special force to the listening multitude, for religion of Israel had degenerated into a meaningless round of labour in an attempt to find salvation by works. Those who are heavy laden are invited: all mankind bear many heavy burdens, but in addition to the usual burdens borne in common by all humanity, the scribes and Pharisees had bound many other heavy burdens on the backs of the Jewish people, burdens grievous to be borne. The people were heavy laden with so many rabbinical requirements that an entire lifetime was ordinarily too short to learn them all. Instead of giving rest of soul to those who already bore a heavy burden of sin, these rabbinical requirements served only to crush out of the people any spark of life and hope that might remain. The people who sought to be conscientious groaned beneath the burden while many, the publicans and sinners gave up hope completely. The latter were outside the pale of religious respectability and no longer made a profession of religion. These unfortunate and discouraging results were the very ills Jesus came to alleviate, and was polemical with the adherents. Jesus promises to give his followers rest/respite/intermission (anapausis). Those who come to Christ do not cease to work but instead of laboring for the meat which perishes and becoming utterly weary in the attempt, they labour for that meat which endures unto everlasting life (John 6:27). He urges his listeners to “take His yoke’…to submit to the discipline and training of His way of life. The purpose of a yoke was not to make the burdens of draft animals heavier, but lighter,not harder ,but easier to bear. By ‘my yoke’ Christ meant His way of life, the divine will as summed up in the law of God and magnified in the Sermon on the Mount (Isa 42:21, Mat. 5:17,22). Jesus hearers were familier with the imagery for the rabbis also referred to the Torah as a yoke (Deut 31:9), not in the sense of its being a burden ,but rather a discipline, a way of life to which men were to submit. Jesus is the meek one: One who is meek intends nothing but good toward others. He is Lowly/ humble: A person humble in his own estimation assigns himself a low position in comparison with others; he esteems others better than himself. Christ is a sympathetic teacher and those who learn of Him will also be gentle and humble. So-called Christians who have not learned to be gentle and humble have not learned in the school of Christ (Phil 2:2,8). You will find rest: those who find the rest of which Jesus speaks will walk in the old paths and conform their lives to the good way of God’s own choosing. (Jer 6:16). My burden is light: He who truly loves Christ will delight to do His will (Psal 40:8) Those who take the yoke of submission to the Master who come to learn in His school will find the rest of soul He has promised. The heavy burden of legal righteousness, of trying to gain salvation by means of merit supposedly earned by one’s own works rather than secured through the merit of Christ, and the still heavier burden of sin itself, will all be rolled away.

CATHOLIC MISSAL

JULY 11TH,2021

FIFTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

First Reading: Amos 7: 12-15

12 And Amasias said to Amos: Thou seer, go, flee away into the land of Juda: and eat bread there, and prophesy there.

13 But prophesy not again any more in Bethel: because it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is the house of the kingdom.

14 And Amos answered and said to Amasias: I am not a prophet, nor am I the son of a prophet: but I am a herdsman plucking wild figs.

15 And the Lord took me when I followed the flock, and the Lord said to me: Go, prophesy to my people Israel.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 85: 9-10, 11-12, 13-14 (8)

9 I will hear what the Lord God will speak in me: for he will speak peace unto his people: And unto his saints: and unto them that are converted to the heart.

10 Surely his salvation is near to them that fear him: that glory may dwell in our land.

11 Mercy and truth have met each other: justice and peace have kissed.

12 Truth is sprung out of the earth: and justice hath looked down from heaven.

13 For the Lord will give goodness: and our earth shall yield her fruit.

14 Justice shall walk before him: and shall set his steps in the way.

(8 shew us, O Lord, thy mercy; and grant us thy salvation.)

Second Reading: Ephesians 1: 3-14

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with spiritual blessings in heavenly places, in Christ:

4 As he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and unspotted in his sight in charity.

5 Who hath predestinated us unto the adoption of children through Jesus Christ unto himself: according to the purpose of his will:

6 Unto the praise of the glory of his grace, in which he hath graced us in his beloved son.

7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the remission of sins, according to the riches of his grace,

8 Which hath superabounded in us in all wisdom and prudence,

9 That he might make known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he hath purposed in him,

10 In the dispensation of the fulness of times, to re-establish all things in Christ, that are in heaven and on earth, in him.

11 In whom we also are called by lot, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things according to the counsel of his will.

12 That we may be unto the praise of his glory, we who before hoped Christ:

13 In whom you also, after you had heard the word of truth, (the gospel of your salvation;) in whom also believing, you were signed with the holy Spirit of promise,

14 Who is the pledge of our inheritance, unto the redemption of acquisition, unto the praise of his glory.

Gospel: Mark 6: 7-13

7 And he called the twelve; and began to send them two and two, and gave them power over unclean spirits.

8 And he commanded them that they should take nothing for the way, but a staff only: no scrip, no bread, nor money in their purse,

9 But to be shod with sandals, and that they should not put on two coats.

10 And he said to them: Wheresoever you shall enter into an house, there abide till you depart from that place.

11 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you; going forth from thence, shake off the dust from your feet for a testimony to them.

12 And going forth they preached that men should do penance:

13 And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.

RECOLLECTION

Amos 7:(10-11)12-15

Prophet Amos’ straight message, striking at the evil conditions among the people of Israel, naturally aroused resentful opposition. The priest at Bethel accused Amos before the king. Amaziah craftily endeavoured to make Amos prediction against the royal house appear to be treason. Thus he hoped to silence the messages addressed to Israel by the prophet Amos. In their hatred of the children of God,the wicked have often accused the righteous of subverting the government. The prophet had foretold a sword against the house of Jeroboam, which would not necessarily mean that the monarch himself would perish by the sword. However, rightly understood, this punishment was indeed that which must come upon king and nation if they remained impenitent.

V12. Go, flee thee away,seer.The apostate priest (Amaziah) without sanctions from Jeroboam II resorted to his own authority, such as if in his attempt to intimidate Amos and make him leave the country. Perhaps Amos would be received favourably in Judah because he came from there.(Eat bread), Amaziah insinuates that Amos was paid to prophesy and so made gain from his godliness. Amaziah may have attributed to Amos the worldly motives that influenced himself. V.13 under divine direction the courageous prophet was willing to carry God’s message into the very centre of apostate worship (the king’s chapel/sanctuary of the king/the kings court/house of the kingdom/a royal sanctuary. V14.Unafraid, Amos declines Amaziah’s insinuation (v12) and declares that he is not a prophet by profession or to gain livelihood, but simply because of God’s call. A prophet’s son: students reared in the schools of the prophets were called sons of prophets. Amos was not trained in any human institution. It is a common mistake to suppose that those who have not been educated according to generally accepted standards have not been educated at all. The Lord taught Amos in the solitude of the fields, of the valleys and of the hills of Judaeh as he tended the sheep and as he gathered the fruit of sycamore-fig tree. V15. As I followed the flock-God’s commission was imperative and Amos could not but obey it. Now was no time for the prophet to turn back just because Amaziah the priest of Bethel opposed him.

First Reading; Ezekiel 2:2-5
Son of man(benDOadam describes man in a generic sense). Ezekiel, addressed as son of man (benDOadam),is reminded of the fact that he is a member of the human race. It was through human channels that God purposed to convey His message of salvation to perishing souls. He could have employed other means ,but He desired to make man a sharer in the joys of unselfish ministry to others, and so He committed unto him the word of reconciliation (2 Cor 5:19). This task no man may shirk. Thus, to be addressed as a son of man is a call to personal or public ministry in ardent passion for creatures. Ezekiel is told to stand upon his feet. The vision of the glory of God had prostrated him. In the call to divine service the prophet is led first to feel his own weakness. Then divine power came and activated him,restoring him to physical strength and enabling him to receive the heavenly communication. The spirit entered into Ezekiel. Prophecy is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The call to prophetic office is not by personal choice but by divine appointment. Ezekiel’s message was to the exiles of Judah but also embraced the ten tribes of Israel. Israel is a rebellious nation.So low had Israel sunk in her willful departure from God that she who was to have been the royal nation ,the kingdom of priests is now addressed by the derogatory title heathen and that with the additional epithet rebellious. They are impudent (hard of face, obstinate, stubborn). The Lord was painting a grim picture of Israel’s depravity. The picture was not overdrawn as the prophet was soon to discover. Thus says the Lord: The charge to Ezekiel is the divine commission to every teacher of the word ,to every Expositor of truth. Gods word is not to be intermixed with human opinions. Private theories are fallible. Concerning divine matters, only those things that God has revealed can be definitely known as facts. All else is human opinion. With every wind of doctrine blowing and every species of interpretation abroad, men need the reassurance of a message backed by a Thus says the Lord God. Such a declaration is the voice of authority. Ezekiel needed such a warrant Judah’s doom was impending. His message came bearing the credentials from the highest authority. If they neglect to hear, they will acknowledge the justice of God and the adequacy of the grace offered them. The prophet bears divine credentials. The rebellious might openly mock the divine messenger but beneath the sneer of scorn would be deep-seated fear that the voice they were spurning was indeed the voice of God.

Second Reading

In the second reading, God saw fit to protect Paul against himself (lest I should be exalted). He has been given a bodily infirmity. The affliction was of Satan but permitted by God (Job). Satan’s purpose was to frustrate Paul’s work. Christ’s purpose in permitting the affliction was to protect Paul from pride. Paul had pleaded with God to remove this distressing affliction but the answer was clear he accepted the will of God for him. Compare the three times Christ prayed for the removal of the cup He was to drink and then accepted it as the will of God. He Said: the form of the Greek denotes the finality of God’s answer. God’s grace is sufficient (Gr. Chasis). God never promised to alter circumstances or release men from trouble. To Him,bodily infirmities and untoward circumstances are matters of secondary concern. Inward strength to endure is a far higher manifestation of the divine grace than mastery of the outward difficulties of life. Outwardly, a man may be torn,worn,wearied and almost broken, yet inwardly it is his privilege in Christ to enjoy perfect peace. Paul says he glories in his infirmities (boasts in his weaknesses). It is the mark of triumph to accept one’s limitations without resentment. To rejoice over that which one hates and desires to be rid of is the ultimate of surrender. Christ also shrank from the indignity, shame and ridicule. He was called upon to endure at His trial. Such resignation to the will of God means complete renunciation of self. That the power of Christ may dwell in me: Paul here speaks of the power of Christ descending upon him,working within him and giving him help and strength. I take pleasure: It pleased the Lord therefore it would please Paul also. God knew best and Paul was content that it should be so. For when I am weak then I am strong: the Christian paradox: distrust of self,surrender to the will of God. A man strong in his own strength tends to be self-reliant instead of relying on God,and often does not realize his need of divine grace. Only those whose weakness and insecurity have been completely submerged in the blessed will of God know what it is to possess true power.

The Gospel

Gospel
Jesus,the Prophet, a source of scandal! After leaving Nazareth to take up His ministry, Jesus did not revisit it until He began His Galilean ministry. Jewish leaders and the townspeople of Nazareth are troubled by the infinitely superior intelligence, understanding and wisdom of Jesus in the synagogue. Had Jesus been to a rabbinic school? He speaks exousia (out of authority), not Philosophy or human rationalisation. He is the incarnate Word of God. Jesus did no mighty work among the Nazarenes because of lack of belief not by any lack of power on His part.His daily contacts with them testified to His perfection of character and this they had resented because it placed them in an unfavourable light. He is a ‘son of man’ (Ezekiel)…Mary,Joseph.

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